Peter Barnes on the Commons

Summary

From the reading notes of Michel Bauwens, 2007, source unknown. See our wiki search box for other interesting material by Peter Barnes:

The two great problems of capitalism are permanence (destruction of nature), and inequality. What is crucially missing is the recognition of the commons.

The great challenge is therefore,

   - 1) to make the commons visible
   - 2) to give it reverence
   - 3) to translate the reverence into property rights and legal institutions that are on a par with those we give to private property.

What is the commons ?

   - 1) the stuff we share
   - 2) the stuff we inherit, from nature or from the collective efforts of humanity
   - 3) the stuff we must pass on to future generations
   - 4) they tend to be large systems, both natural and social, such as the internet
   - 5) they can be free, but must not necessarily be so

Why are the commons important ?

   - 1) for most of our history, they provided basic sustenance
   - 2) it is the source of all natural resources and replenishing service
   - 3) it is the ultimate waste recycling resource
   - 4) it holds human culture
   - 5) it is essential to human communication
   - 6) we need it to travel
   - 7) it gives us community (the town square)

Concluding definition: "the commons is the sum of all we inherit together and must pass on, undiminished, to our heirs (human and non-human)".

The current market is based on the double illusion that resources are infinite and that the 'sinks' are infinite. The latter is already exhausted! It takes good stuff from the commons, and dumps bad stuff back into it.

The market is stronger than the commons, because it is backed by law (property rights), and institutins. The right of corporations is primary to all others (communities, nature, workers, etc ...). The commons also lack institutions. No institutions own the commns and are therefore willing to defend it. In fact, the commons belong to the people though the state can act as its 'trustee'. But historically, the state has NOT been a good trustee.

The essence of a trust is a fiduciary relationship. A trustee holds and manages property for another person or for many other people (f.e. pensins funds, charitable foundations, university endowments, ..). The rules of managing a commons are well defined.